The New York Academy of Sciences is planning an important 1 day conference entitled, "Probiotics: From Bench to Market." This meeting will be held on June 11, 2010 at the New York Academy of Sciences, New York. The principal investigator for this conference is Dr. Tri Duong, PhD, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University. Other experts on the scientific organizing committee are Dr. Howard Young, PhD, Section Head, Cellular and Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, National Cancer Institute;Dr. Mary Ellen Sanders, PhD, Consultant, Dairy and Food Culture Technologies;Ms. Marguerite Klein, Health Science Administrator, Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH;and Dr. Kathy Granger, PhD, Senior Program Manager, The New York Academy of Sciences. The therapeutic potential of probiotics has led western society to embrace the idea of consuming probiotics for health. An increased understanding of the mechanisms responsible for probiotic activity, the development of technologies based on probiotic platforms, and clinical trials will enable scientists to develop probiotic products to improve nutrition, as therapeutics to treat diseases, or to deliver vaccines. This meeting will convene basic and clinical scientists from academia and industry to work together in a rational, scientific manner to develop a mechanistic understanding of probiotic functionality, and to select specific probiotic organisms for the development of safe and effective products for the consumer. Participants will include both established and young career scientists/clinicians, providing a platform for the next generation to enter this field. Furthermore this conference is anticipated to increase communication and subsequent collaboration between complimentary research groups. Our conference "Probiotics: From Bench to Market" will bring these communities together in a neutral environment to increase communication and collaboration to advance probiotic research and public health. This meeting will convene basic and clinical scientists from academia and industry to work together in a rational, scientific manner to develop a mechanistic understanding of probiotic functionality. Furthermore, participants will examine current and ongoing clinical trials recommended for a probiotic product to reach the market.